The Post Viral Age

WATCH OF THE WEEK

MARKETING BUZZ

OUR OBSESSION

YouTube has had a long history dealing with backlash from content creators, but now a different platform is being put under the microscope. High profile content creators on BuzzFeed have been airing their grievances in “Why I Left BuzzFeed” videos, which are proliferating so quickly that viewers joke that they’ve practically become a genre of their own. Each video explains the various issues BuzzFeed content creators face, such as the inability to pursue their own projects and the lack of credit they receive, and many have garnered millions of views on YouTube (anyone else see the irony here?). These media mutinies may work in the short term, but as tension builds between platforms and talent, we’re watching to see who weathers the storm.

Doritos has teamed up with the highly-anticipated summer blockbuster, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, to bring customers a taste of the film ahead of its release tomorrow. Paying homage to main character Star-Lord and his beloved cassette player and mix tape, the snack brand developed a limited-edition Doritos bag with a built-in cassette deck, allowing consumers to plug their headphones straight into the bag and listen to the sequel’s soundtrack, Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which features hits from Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison, and Electric Light Orchestra. The musical snack is available exclusively on Amazon where it retails for $29.99, but not surprisingly, the first batch has already sold out.

Beacons, Big Data, Facebook, Google... We have access to more information than ever, yet it seems things aren’t getting any easier for marketers—in fact, one in four teens would rather go to JAIL than never be able to skip an ad again. We’ve entered the Post-Viral age of marketing, where reach does not equal engagement and engagement does not equal profit—just ask Snapchat. So, to help you navigate the minefield that is marketing and media in 2017 and beyond, we’ve compiled everything you need to know in our new issue of The Trendera Files: The Post Viral Age. Download a complimentary sample and give us a shout to learn more!

IN OUR CARTS

APP-TASTIC

PROPS TO

Food fads come and go, but the unconditional love between Californians and their avocados has given the fruit serious staying power. Just when we thought nothing could ever replace our beloved avocado toast, we’re happy to report that superfood lovers can now have the fruit as part of their daily chocolate fix with artisanal chocolatier Compartes’ newly released Avocado Chocolate Bar, which is currently making the rounds online. Made with white chocolate, California avocados, and all wrapped up in the gorgeous packaging that has become part of the LA brand’s signature, the tasty treat is shaping up to be the new Rosé gummy bears of 2017. We suggest placing your order ASAP.

As part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s VR Arcade, Scatter media studio and VR tech start up DepthKit partnered to create Blackout, a virtual reality simulation that aims to represent the incredible diversity of the human experience in New York City. Viewers of this immersive experience walk around and interact with a subway car as a VR headset adds details and fills it with passengers, each one a real recorded subway rider with an interesting story to tell when viewers give them their attention. The roster of passengers (all of whom have opted into the project) even rotates with each viewing, resulting in a unique experience every time. We give props to Blackout for creating a new way to promote understanding and appreciation for others’ perspectives and experiences in these divided times.

Whether through YouTube reviews, Twitter rants, or Wishbone polls, it seems like we’re all obsessed with sharing our opinions and votes on everything. New app Treeo provides yet another way to do just that: billing itself as “addictive emoji voting,” the fun voting-as-entertainment app uses a three-option polling system that asks users to decide how they feel about specific topics, from the best new TV show to their favorite Olympics dip. Users can create their own custom polls by adding GIFs, photos, and different emoji voting options as well as invite friends to participate and see how they voted. Though currently only available for iPhones, we vote this app worth downloading.